Combat System
On his adventures Emmon encounters many people and creatures that mean to do harm to our poor hero. Therefore there will be fights in Bards, Beards and Birds! Both the player and his enemy have a health bar. As soon as one of the combattants' health bar reaches zero, he will die on the spot. Luckily, the player can come back to life (see: respawning) in order to retry to fulfill his master quest. The fighting can take the form of enemies piercing each other with pointy sticks, bashing each other with blunt clubs or by firing projectiles at each other from a distance. However, magic an music play a big part in the battles as well. Player attacks enemy The first important distinction for the damage calculation is whether an attack is a physical one or a magical/musical one. The basic attack skill that is used for the damage calculation depends on this. For a magical/musical attack the skill that determines the basic attack value is virtuoso. For a physical attack the used skill is might. These values are determined by the level of the player, but can be temporarily enhanced by the consumption of certain items, or by previously made performances. The second distinction is the weapon or instrument that is used for the attack. Throughout the game the hero will encounter many different weapons that all have their own characteristics. Each weapon or instrument has a certain basic power value. This power might be temporarily enhanced by previous made performances. Thirdly, depending on what attack is being done, the instrument might give a attack type bonus for the use of certain attacks. For instance, an brilliance attack with a piccolo or a piercing attack with a spear get a bonus. For each weapon there are certain attacks that are the most effective ones for that weapon, though other ones, that fit the instrument less, can also be down. The sensitivity, weakness or strength of a weapon for these bonuses might be temporarily enhanced by previously made performances or consumed items. Fourthly, the effectiveness of the type of attack receives a bonus or a penalty, depending on the enemy on which it is cast. For instance a piercing attack against a walking pudding would get a bonus, whereas a lute performance in front of a deaf cruncher would receive a penalty. Next it is time to look at the defence of the enemy. Firstly, the enemy has a basic defence value that is determined by its level. Secondly, the enemy's defence is improved by the armour that he is wearing. Thirdly, the enemy might temporarily improve his strength with certain performances and spells. Fourthly, the player can make certain performances that temporarily weaken the enemy's defence. An extra penalty should be given when attacking an enemy that is of a much higher level than the player, as such an attack is likely to disturb the flow of the game. Lastly there is a chance that the player scored a critical hit. This chance is determined, among other things by the player's panache. A critical hit gives a big attack bonus. Enemy attacks player The first important distinction for the damage calculation is whether the enemy attack is a physical one or a magical/musical one. The basic defence skill that is used for the damage calculation depends on this. Against a magical/musical attack the skill that determines the basic defence value is the player's rubato. Against a physical attack he uses his shielding skill. These defensive skills are determined by the player's level, but can be temporarily enhanced by consumables and certain performances. Secondly is the armour bonus from the player's equipment, especially against physical attacks. Now that we have determined the player's defence, we look at the power of the enemy's attack. The attack value of the enemy is calculated by adding the basic attack value of his level and the weapon attack power of the weapon or instrument that he is using. The enemy's attack can receive a penalty if the player uses a spell on him that decreases his effectiveness (decreases basic attack value) or damages his weapon (decreases the weapon attack power for the time of the combat). An extra penalty to the player's defence should be given when he is fighting with an enemy that is of a much higher level than himself, as such a battle is likely to disturb the flow of the game anyway. Types Types of attacks are: *Melee attacks. Melee attacks give a one time damaging hit. *Piercing attacks. Piercing attacks give a one time damaging hit that also can weaken the enemy's armour or get through it. * Damage per second attacks. After hitting somebody with this type attack the attack keeps giving the enemy additional damage every second. * Area of Effect (AoE) attacks. This type of attack damages an area, rather than targeting a single enemy. That means that several enemies can be hit at once. AoE attacks exist in several shapes: some take the player as transmitter, damaging those near to him. Other attacks are fired away, hitting around the location of the targeted enemy. Types of defences are: * Magical shielding from spells. Builds up the defences of the player against magical attacks with magical/musical means. * Magical shielding from weapons. Builds up the defences of the player against physical attacks with magical/musical means. * Physical shielding. Improves the defences of the player against physical attacks. Gives a bonus to the player's armour. Could be useful to wait for cool-down timers to finish or to retreat, but only lasts as long as the player is in this shielding mode. He cannot do any other attacks in the meantime. Characteristics of Instruments that help to determine the damage of its attacks: *Loudness : This means how loud the instrument is. A loud instrument has a further range and can also have such a devastating effect it can knock out the enemy. For instance, a lute has a loudness of 4, while a tuba can have a loudness of 10. *Buzz : Buzz causes vibrations with the enemy. Once he reaches a certain level of vibrating, he becomes very vulnerable for melee attacks. *Brilliance : A high brillince can make glass explode. It can also pierce defensive spells that are meant to block incoming sound waves. *Detunable : This characteric determines how easily an instrument can get detune. Detuned instruments are less effective and can become unplayable until they are tuned again. Some instruments, such as the tupan, never get out of tune. Other instruments, such as the disposable lute, can become permanentally unusuable. : Musical instruments can also be used to hit people. Muziekacties: *Make homesick: : De vijand wordt bevangen door nostalgie en vlucht naar huis. Doet lichte schade. *Frighten: : de vijand wordt bang gemaakt en kan een moment geen aanval doen *Let dance: : De vijand moet, indien hij niet resistant genoeg is, dansen. Wanneer een vijand danst is hij afhankelijker geworden van de melodiën die de speler op hem loslaat. Muziek komt daardoor extra hard aan. : Grote wezens die dansen zorgen er met hun gestampt voor dat: een zwak stuk muur instort en een doorgang vrij wordt gtemaakt; Dat er gaten in de vloer ontstaan waar de speler doorheen kan vallen, waarna hij sterft of op de verdieping eronder terechtkomt... *Shrink : De vijand krimpt tot halve grootte en moet daardoor veel harder lopen om de speler bij te kunnen houden. Handig bij gevechten op afstand. Tower Defence Zie: tower defence Berekeningen : De kracht van een aanval wordt als volgt berekend: :-Attack percentage is de aanvalswaardes van de speler gedeeld door de verdedigingswaardes van de enemy. Het percentage geeft dus de verhouding tussen de twee aan. : :Wat leren wij? Player attack skill, die bij het level hoort, moet niet te laag starten : Specialisaties voor in combat -Warrior (melee striker) - Sword and shield, basic combat character -Protector (melee tank) - Heavy armour, low damage. -Berserker (melee striker) - Lots of damaage, low armour. Fast but relatively easy to stop. -Knight (melee tank striker) - mix of damage and armour (maar wat is dan het verschil met de Warrior) -Spellsword (melee magic striker) - use of magic to offset melee damage. Medium armour, low range. -Mage (ranged magic striker) - High damage, low health, ranged. -Healer : :aanvallen worden over een grotere afstand effectiever bij levelen? Category:Gameplay